The famous Pub II college bar in downtown Normal, IL (Flickr)

1. Wednesday’s are for Pub II

Drinking in college is something a lot of students like to partake in. Some even go as far as to avoid having classes on Friday so they can participate in “Thirsty Thursday.” If you go to Illinois State, you know that the real fun starts on Pub Wednesday. A bar in Downtown Normal named Pub II, or The Pub for short, has a DJ and some wicked good drink specials on Wednesdays that attract a substantial college crowd. Pub II is, without a doubt, the place to be on Wednesday nights. Continue reading →

It’s important to feel both safe and comfortable. Comfort isn’t just a matter of choosing the right futon or getting rid of that chair passed down from two generations before when the bottom falls out. Comfort is about your surroundings and being able to rely on some backup whenever problems arise at home. Being stuck with a leaking toilet or oven that won’t even boil a pot of water causes the sort of unnecessary emotional stress that college students need to avoid while focusing on school and socializing.

Over the past month, we’ve been assembling lists of the top landlords at campuses around the country based on online reviews from former tenants. The same common themes came up time and time again at campuses all over. It turns out whether a student attends a large state school in New York or a small college in the Midwest, he or she typically is looking for the same thing in a landlord. Students want respect and responsiveness.

One company that stood out to us based on an extreme number of positive reviews was Walk 2 Class, located about as close to the Illinois State University campus as possible. We had the chance to speak with owner Chuck Kiven and Courtney Lahr, a property manager at Walk 2 Class about their service and what they’re doing to keep students so happy. Continue reading →